Ender's Game - Great book of the times

[kansasskydiver 0]

I just finished reading Ender's Game and have to say it has been one of the best books I've read. I'll admit that I haven't read a book for pleasure in almost 10 years, but am happy to say that I did read it. If you're looking for a good book, I highly recommend it to those looking for something to keep them entertained.

I started it late last night and read until I couldnt' see anymore. I spent most of my free time today reading and just finished.

Great book!

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[dixieskydiver 0]

One of my alltime favorite Sci Fi novels. There is a big ole thread about it floating around here somewhere.

Dixie
HISPA #56 Facil Rodriguez
"Scientific research has shown that 60% of the time, it works every time."

[Guest]

It's an interesting read, and entertaining, but if you want a flamin' hot SF read, you gotta check out "Snow Crash" by Neil Stephenson.

Joe and Gay Haldeman were in Seattle about 6 weeks ago for the Nebula awards. The spousal unit and I had breakfast in the hotel with them the morning after (Neil was the MC of the awards show the night before).

I go way back with Joe and Gay, having met them for the first time at their home in Holly Hill, FL back in 1980. Over the years, we've crossed paths at various WorldCons. Like Skydiving, the hardcore SF world is small, and the writers are an even smaller subset of that.

We talked a lot about Stephenson, but it was mostly "Man! Can that sonofabitch WRITE!"

Please see also "Cryptonomicon" by Stephenson. The man is such a hot writer he's practically on fire.

mh

.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[FrogNog 1]

Now you're ready for Ender's Shadow. It takes the story you already know, and at first it looks like a companion story, but then it joins the original storyline and gives a different perspective, which actually changes the original story.

It's sort of weird to be reading a book and be in suspense about what's going to happen, even though you already know what happens. But that's what Ender's Shadow does.

To be fair, Ender's Game is the better of the two.

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Pull.

[FrogNog 1]

I second Snow Crash being pretty cool. The writer was way ahead of his time. A few tiny things in this book seem cheesey, but that happens sometimes. Some of the larger concepts are un-frickin-believable.

It did a good job of mixing the possible/plausible with the impossible such that you started to believe in certain things you normally wouldn't. (I'm specifically thinking about the historical parts.)

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Pull.

[Guest]

Quote

I second Snow Crash being pretty cool. The writer was way ahead of his time. A few tiny things in this book seem cheesey, but that happens sometimes. Some of the larger concepts are un-frickin-believable.

It did a good job of mixing the possible/plausible with the impossible such that you started to believe in certain things you normally wouldn't. (I'm specifically thinking about the historical parts.)

The only way to introduce Neil Stephenson to those who aren't cog on his work is to say something like:

"If Tom Robbins and William Gibson could somehow procreate, their offspring would be Neil Stephenson."

mh

.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[TheAnvil 0]

That IS a great book! The sequels are pretty good too, but neither tops ENDER'S GAME itself.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[2fat2fly 0]

I buy it, read it, loan it, buy another. Great book. The series started dragging for me around "Speaker for the Dead" but "Ender's Shadow" got moving again and the idea of reading the same story from a different viewpoint is cool.

I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I just read Speaker For The Dead again after a very-long time and yes, it drags along for most of the book. The original, Enders Game, has long been on the "to read" list at many military leadership schools.

[joshjumps 0]

One of my favorite books of all time. I actually enjoyed Speaker of the Dead and Xenocide but theyare completely different books. A continuation of the story but don't expect more of the same because it's not.
I'm happy that he has written Bean's story in the new series of "Ender" books they compliment nicely the original story.

[marcandalysse 0]

I mentioned SNOW CRASH yesterday in Chris' related post.

Also mentioned Neil Stephenson's new series...Has anyone read them yet? Quicksilver, and The Confusion. The third volume will arrive in Fall.

Awesome read! More historic fiction than Science Fiction however....

marc

[riddler 0]

FYI - Ender's Game is being made into a movie. Probably be a few years before it comes out. I thought Speaker for the Dead was pretty good. Haven't read Shadow yet.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[Adrock 0]

Yup, definitely a great book and, IMO, great sequels. But Children of the Mind definitely dragged and the ones that followed Ender's Shadow just got silly.
I do think it's interesting that the screenplay for Ender's Game actually is combining Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. I wonder if they'll have it from both Bean and Ender's perspective?

Addie

[klingeme 1]

I've read or listened (audio Book) to the original 4 book series probably 7 or 8 times. I first read Ender's Game in college for a class and loved it. The newer ones are all right (Shadow of the H, Ender's Shadow...) but not as good as the originals.

Great suggested read.....

Mark Klingelhoefer

[crwmike 0]

Quote

I just finished reading Ender's Game and have to say it has been one of the best books I've read. I'll admit that I haven't read a book for pleasure in almost 10 years, but am happy to say that I did read it. If you're looking for a good book, I highly recommend it to those looking for something to keep them entertained.

I started it late last night and read until I couldnt' see anymore. I spent most of my free time today reading and just finished.

Great book!

I've been reading SF all my life and am a voracious reader. Ender's Game was one of the very best!

Now for the bad news. If you are expecting more great reading with the sequels ...well, don't. Actually, I recommend passing on them entirely.

Mark's recommends 'Snow Crash'. It's a good read (another of Stephen's Metaverse stories) and I enjoyed it. Ends rather abrubtly, and it bothered me a bit that the two main characters, barely interact as they each go about saving the world. It's a B+ novel, however, where, 'Ender' tops out the grading scale.

Michael